Urinary tract infections [UTIs] are very common in people with Spinal Cord Injury [SCI]. UTIs are increasingly difficult and expensive to treat as the organisms that cause them become more antibiotic resistant. Among the SCI population, there is a high rate of multi-resistant organism [MRO] colonisation. Non-antibiotic prevention strategies are needed to prevent UTI without increasing resistance. Probiotics have been reported to be beneficial in preventing UTIs in post-menopausal women in several in vivo and in vitro studies. The main aim of this study is to determine whether probiotic therapy with combinations of Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 + Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 [RC14-GR1] and/or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG + Bifidobacterium BB-12 [LGG-BB12] are effective in preventing UTI in people with SCI compared to placebo. This is a multi-site randomised double-blind double-dummy placebo-controlled factorial design study conducted in New South Wales, Australia. All participants have a neurogenic bladder as a result of spinal injury. Recruitment started in April 2011. Participants are randomised to one of four arms, designed for factorial analysis of LGG-BB12 and/or RC14-GR1 v Placebo. This involves 24 weeks of daily oral treatment with RC14-GR1 + LGG-BB12, RC14-GR1 + placebo, LGG-BB12 + placebo or two placebo capsules. Randomisation is stratified by bladder management type and inpatient status. Participants are assessed at baseline, three months and six months for Short Form Health Survey [SF-36], microbiological swabs of rectum, nose and groin; urine culture and urinary catheters for subjects with indwelling catheters. A bowel questionnaire is administered at baseline and three months to assess effect of probiotics on bowel function. The primary outcome is time from randomisation to occurrence of symptomatic UTI. The secondary outcomes are change of MRO status and bowel function, quality of life and cost-effectiveness of probiotics in persons with SCI. The primary outcome will be analysed using survival analysis of factorial groups, with Cox regression modelling to test the effect of each treatment while allowing for the other, assuming no interaction effect. Hazard ratios and Kaplan-Meier survival curves will be used to summarise results. If these probiotics are shown to be effective in preventing UTI and MRO colonisation, they would be a very attractive alternative for UTI prophylaxis and for combating the increasing rate of antibiotic resistance after SCI. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry [ ACTRN 12610000512022 ]. Date of registration: 21 June 2010.

by Bill Phillips @ Prince George Free Press

Thu Apr 30 10:51:05 PDT 2015

Back before computers ruled the day in newspaper offices, reporters would type -30- at the end of each story. It was done to inform the typesetters that they had reached the end of the story. Well … this is the end. Friday is the final issue of the Prince George Free Press. Aberdeen Publishing owner...

by staff1 @ Prince George Free Press

by Melissa (upbeet,RD) @ upbeet dietitian

Sat Jul 23 09:13:14 PDT 2016

Summer is FINALLY here in Vancouver. I know Ontario has been suffering from the heat this summer for a while already, but in BC we have had unusually cool weather. But, alas, the heat has arrived! With the heat ramping up it is important to ensure you stay hydrated. Does coffee and tea count […]

by Allan Wishart @ Prince George Free Press

Fri May 01 09:52:25 PDT 2015

Next time, it’s for real – sort of. On the weekend, the Prince George Gnats rugby team was in Jasper for a 7s tournament. “We’re normally a 15s team,” Per Dodenberg of the Gnats said, “but this was a warm-up for the season.” With only seven players per side, the 7s game is a lot faster, which is not...

by Steven Lee @ Products – Booster Juice Production

by Allan Wishart @ Prince George Free Press

Fri May 01 09:41:41 PDT 2015

Watch out for Rascals on the track on Saturday. The members of the Track Rascals, the 6 to 8 year olds in the Prince George Track and Field Club, will be taking part in the annual Sub Zero meet, which goes Saturday at Masich Place Stadium. There could be a lot of Rascals on the track for their one e...

by Renew Life Team @ Renew Life Canada

Tue Sep 20 13:38:19 PDT 2016

All too often digestion can seem like an automatic process, but nowadays scientists are discovering that we need to have a different mindset. Specifically, we need to be mindful of the fact that a balanced gut is the foundation for optimal health—and one of the ways we can do that is by understanding the benefits Continue reading

by Bill Phillips @ Prince George Free Press

Thu Apr 30 11:15:41 PDT 2015

It is truly a sad day for us here at the Prince George Free Press, and for the community of Prince George. As of May 1, the Prince George Free Press will cease publishing. The first issue of the Free Press hit the streets on October 31, 1994 and the last issue today, May 1, 2015 … just over 20 years...

Diarrhoea, as a common side effect of antibiotics, increases treatment costs and length of stay in acute healthcare facilities. One potential strategy to prevent this side effect is the concurrent use of probiotic bacteria or yeast. This review discusses ...